Nahitaji mita mbili.

to need

Breakdown of Nahitaji mita mbili.

• mbili: two
• mita: the metre

Questions & Answers about Nahitaji mita mbili.

What does nahitaji mean grammatically?

Nahitaji is the verb part meaning I need.

The dictionary form is kuhitaji, meaning to need. In this sentence, it is being used in the first person singular, so the subject is I.

So:

• kuhitaji = to need
• nahitaji = I need

Can I also say ninahitaji mita mbili?

Yes. Learners may come across both nahitaji and ninahitaji.

• nahitaji is very common in everyday use
• ninahitaji is also used and may sound a bit fuller or more careful

Both express I need. If your course or teacher prefers one form, follow that model, but you should be able to recognize both.

Why doesn’t mita change for singular and plural?

Because mita is one of those Swahili nouns whose form often stays the same in both singular and plural.

So you can get:

• mita moja = one meter
• mita mbili = two meters

The number tells you whether it is singular or plural.

Why is two translated as here?